Fire escape



p 1958 J. 5. SCOTT ETAL 2,852,175

FIRE ESCAPE Filed Sept. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Amngg W E l/vz mroles JOHN 5. 56027 B mm 6' Y Att'ys Sept. 16, 1958 J. 5. SCOTT EI'AL 5 I FIRE ESCAPE Filed Sept. 6, 1955 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /AV.A/70RS JOHN S- scan FIRE ESCAPE John S. Scott and Frank Hagan, Terra Cotta, Ontario, Canada Application September 6, 1955, Serial No. 532,490

Claims. (Cl. 22819.2)

This invention relates to a fire escape.'

Fire escapes having a foldable ladder adapted to be projected through a window to permit the escape of a person through the window have been provided in the past. They, for the most part however, have been cumbersome and bulky. We have devised a structure of this general type that is compact, and easy and safe to use.

Generally speaking, a fire escape according to our invention has a foldable ladder mounted on one free end of a beam that slides between a retracted and extended position within a frame. The frame is swingably mounted on a base and preferably foldable so that it can, when not in use, be folded against a wall. When required for use it can be unfolded and then swung to extend outwardly through the Window opening beside which it is mounted. Our invention will be clearly understood after reference to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a fire escape according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the device in a folded position against a wall;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 but showing the device in an unfolded position, and

Figure 4 is a view showing the device of Figure 3 swung to an operative position with the fire escape projecting through the window.

Referring to the drawings, the fire escape there shown has a frame formed from side members and 11 and back member 12. The side member 10 and back member 12 each are hingedly mounted within the lugs 13 by means of pins as illustrated at their top and bottom extremities. The side member 11 and the back member 12 hingedly connect with each other at their upper and lower ends as illustrated.

A beam 17, having a foldable ladder generally referred to by the numeral 18 pivotally suspended therefrom as at 19 and 20 adjacent one of its free ends, is slidably mounted within the bearing members 21 and 22 which are carried by the side members 10 and 11. Rollers 22a and 22b are provided within the bearing members 21 and 22 so that the beam 17 can be freely slid between a retracted position as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and an extended position as illustrated in Figure 4 and in Figure 1. This will be referred to further later. Bearing members 21 and 22 are pivotally connected to their respective side members by means of bolts as shown so that the frame can be folded as will be explained later.

The ladder generally indicated by numeral 18 is of a known type and comprises two series of lazy tongs links 23 and 23a spaced apart by rungs 24. When the links are permitted to expand or drop to assume a substantially vertical position, the rungs 24 are spaced apart a suitable ladder step distance. When the links are caused to lie in substantially parallel position the rungs lie close together. The ladder is designed such that United States PatentO 2,852,175 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 ice when the free end thereof is permitted to fall it will unfold to an operative position due to gravity.

Means are provided in the fire escape shown for limiting the rate of fall or unfolding of the latter 18 from the folded position. In this case the means comprises a plate 25 having a cam surface 26 over which the cam follower bar 27 passes as the ladder falls. The rise of the cam surface 26 is sufficiently steep to offer resistance to the falling of the ladder and thereby limit the rate of fall.

In use, the base 14 of the fire escape is mounted on a wall 15 adjacent a window opening 16. When the fire escape is not required for actual use it occupies a folded position as illustrated in Figure 2. It will be noted that the frame is folded such that the side members 10 and 11 thereof lie in parallel relation to the base 14 and therefore the wall 15 and that their planes are aligned. The bar 17 is in a retracted position and the ladder is in a folded position with the bottom thereof supported by the ledge 27a of the ladder support member 28. Ladder support member 28 is secured in place as at 29 in the two bearing members 21 and 22 and is carried by the said bearing members as the frame is operated between the folded position of Figure 2 and the unfolded of operative position of Figure 1.

When it is desired to use the fire escape, the frame is first swung from the position of Figure 2 to the position illustrated in Figure 3. In this latter position, the slidable beam 17 is still parallel to the wall but it is spaced at greater distance therefrom. The ladder is still in the folded position and supported by the ledge 27A.

The next step in the operation is to swing the frame through within its mounting in the frame to the frame position illustrated in Figure 4.

After this has been done the beam 17 is slid from the retracted position of Figure 3 to the extended position of Figure 4 to extend outwardly through the window opening. Of course as the beam is extended so outwardly, the lower end of the ladder carried thereby clears the ledge 27A and the ladder drops to an unfolded and operative position with the links 23 and 23a in a substantially vertical position at a speed or rate regulated by the travel of the cam follower 27 on the cam surface 26.

The numeral 29 indicates foldable brace members pivotally connected as at 30 for supporting the device in the operative position of Figure 4. They, of course, fold as indicated in Figure 3 when the device is not required for actual use.

We claim:

1. A fire escape comprising a frame, a beam slidably mounted in said frame to slide between a retracted and extended position, a foldable ladder on the free end of said beam, a device carried by said frame to support said ladder in a folded position when said beam is in a retracted position within said frame, said ladder being adapted to unfold by gravity to an operative position when said beam is slid to an extended position, said frame having a base formed to be mounted on a wall, said frame being swingably mounted on said base whereby said frame can be swung to carry said beam from a position where its longitudinal axis is parallel to said base to a position substantially 90 therefrom, said frame being foldable to lie substantially flat against said base.

2. A fire escape as claimed in claim 1 in which said device carried by said-frame to support said ladder is a ledge.

3. A fire escape as claimed in claim 1 in which said ladder has means for limiting the rate of unfolding from a folded to an operative position.

4. A fire escape as claimed in claim 1 in which said ladder has means for limiting the rate of unfolding from a folded to an operative position, said means for limiting with said follower to limit the rate of fall of said Ladder 5. A fire escape as claimed in claim 1 in which said ladder has means for limiting the rate of unfolding from a folded to an operative position, said means for limiting the rate of unfolding comprising a cam surface rigidly mounted with respect to said beam, and a follower for said cam surface carried by said ladder, said cam surface being adapted to provide resistance through its contact with said follower to limit the rate of fall of said ladder.

References Cited in the file of this patent "UNITED STATES PATENTS Schmidt June 27, Blorn May 15, Knowles May 13, Horton Mar. 29, Sponholz Dec. 15, Momo Sept. 2,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 10, 

